Improvement in motors for propelling vehicles or mechanical horses



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. DOYLE. Motors for Prcpelli or Mechanical ng Vehicles,

S 6 S T O H 8 m h e F d e t n e t a P ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

J. DOYLE. Motors for Propelling Vehicles, or Mechanical Horses.

No. 200,266. Patented Feb. 12,1878.

7 ya mv NTOR, o/Zah) M 6* ATTORNEY wlT NESSES UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

JOHN DOYLE, 0F HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN MOTORS FOR PROPELLING VEHICLES 0R MECHANICAL HORSES.

Specification fomning part of Letters Patent No. 200,266, datedlicbruary 12,1878; application filed August 4, 1877.

To all whom 'i t may concern Be it known that I, JOHN DOYLE, of Hoboken,in the State of New Jersey, have invented a new and valuable Improvementin Power-Horses; and 1 do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of thesame, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of thisspecification, and to the letters and figures of reference markedthereon.

Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings are representations of longitudinalvertical sections of my invention, and Fig. 2 is atop view thereof.

My invention relates to improvements in mechanical horses orroad-engines and it consists in certain devices and combinations thereoffor mechanically imitating the step of a horse and producing anambulatory movement in an apparatus for pulling vehicles.

In the accompanying drawings, the letterA designates the body of ahorse; B B are the fore legs, and G O the hind legs. The upper joints ofthe fore legs are fulcrumed, as at m, to the frame A, and said jointsextending above the top of the frame, are pivoted to rods R R, whichextend rearward and are bent so that each rod will connect with the topof the hind leg located on the opposite side of the frame from the foreleg to which said rod is pivoted. The hind legs are fnlcrumed, as at y.l) is a shaft, journaled in standards E E in the center of frame A. Uponthis shaft, near its front end, are arranged two parallel cam-disks, FF, the function of which will be hereinafter explained. G G arebell-cranks or elbow-levers, pivoted or fulcrumed within and on oppositesides of frame A. The short arms of these elbow-levers are connected bya slotted plate, 9, in the slot g of which plays a crank-bend, d, formedin shaft 1). To the long arm of elbow-lever G is pivoted one end of alink, .H, the other end of which is pivoted to the upper part of hindleg 0, and to the long arm of elbow-lever G is pivoted a link, H, theother end of which is pivoted to the upper part of hind leg 0.

Near the rear end of frame A, and on opposite sides thereof, arefulcrumed elbow-levers I I, the short upper arms of which are jointed torods K K, the front ends of which are jointed to the short lower arms ofelbow-levers L L, which are fulcrumed on opposite sides of the frontpart of frame A. From these rods K K pins in k project inwardly betweenthe cam-disks F F, before referred to, and are provided withfriction-rollers. The shape of these disks is such that when rotatedthey, through the pins k k, force one of the rods K K forward and theother rearward, alternately; but a certain portion of these disks is notbent, (say, about half,) and stands practt eally at right angles toshaft 1), forming thus a dead motion with respect to the rods K K.

The long arms of the rear elbow-levers I I are jointed to the tops ofhoof-rods c c, the lower ends of which are pivoted to the rear edges ofhoofs M M, the front edges of which are pivoted to the bottoms of hindlegs 0 (l at m m.

The upper and long arms of the forward elbow-levers L L are jointed tothe knee-rods b b, the lower ends of which are jointed to the hoof-linksc" c, which are also jointed to the rear edges of the fore hoofs N N,the front edges of which are pivoted to the. bottoms of the lower jointsB 13' of the fore legs, as at a n, the upper ends of said lower jointsbeing pivoted to the upper joints of the fore legs at o o, in order toaccomplish the knee movement in the operation of the apparatus. P I arecurved guide-slots in the fore legs 0 G, a short distance above theknees. Through these guide-slots project pins p p from the knee-rods bb. In the lower joints B B of the fore legs are straight slots Q Q,through which project the pivot-pins q g, which connect knee-rods b bwith hoot links 0/! ll] The shaft D projects to the rear of frame A, andits rear portion is composed of two or more links, connected byuniversal joints, as at w 20. Motion is communicated to the apparatus bythe rotation of shaft 1), which may be connected with a steaurengine,springpower, or other motor located in the vehicle which the horse isintended to pull.

On top of the front part of frame A is pivoted to a cross-bar a plate,S, provided with. slots 8 3, through which project the tops of the forelegs B B. The pivot of plate S pro jects upward from said plate, and isprovided with a cross-head, T, by which it may be turned by means oflines or rods attached to the ends of said cross-head, and extendingrearward to the vehicle. W'hen the plate S turned to one side or theother, as shownin dotted lines, Fig. 2, the direction given to the slots8 s is communicated to the movement of the fore legs B B by torsion ofsaid legs, and a corresponding change of direction in the horsesprogress will result.

Having now fully described the various devices and arrangements whichconstitute my invention, 1 will explain the operation of the same.

The horse is placed between the shafts of a vehicle, the said shaftsbeing connected to the vehicle by loose joints, in order that thepulling may be effected through shaft 1). \Vhen rotary motion iscommunicated to shaft D the cranlebend (1, playing in slot g, moves saidplate up and down, causing a back-and-forth motion of the elbowlevers GG, which, through links H H, communicates an alternate back-audferthvibration to the hind legs, which, in turn, effects a similar andcorresponding movement to the fore legs through rods 1% R, which, asbefore explained, connect each hind leg to a fore leg on the oppo siteside of the frame from said hind leg.

Referring to the drawing, the horse is represented in the act of makinga step forward. Now, when, by a further movement of shaft 1), theelbow-lever G is moved forward, the upper end of hind leg 0, movingforward also, will cause the lower part of said leg to move backward,and the hoof M, its toe striking the ground, will be caused to turn onpivot m until said hoof rests flat upon the ground, like hoof M; andwhen it assumes this position the pin k of the rod K is, by Li turningof shaft 1), in the dead motion of the cam-disks F F, in order that thehoof may rest firmly on the ground while a propulsive effect is producedby the said hind leg, and it assumes a position similar to that shown byhind leg 0 in the drawing. \Vhile it is taking this position it throwsforward, through red R, the upper end of the fore leg B, and causes abackward movement of the knee of said fore leg. At this time the rod Kis driven backward by the cam-disks F F, and through the elbow-lever Lthe kneerod 1) is forced downward, causing, through its connection withhoof-link c, the lower joint of the fore leg B and the hoof N to moveforward the curved slot 1 and pin 1), and straight slot Q and pin q, soguiding the motion of rod 1) and link 0" that the toe of hoof N strikesthe ground, the hoof turning on pivot 01, and the entire leg assumingthe position shown in the drawings by leg B.

\Vhile the top of hind leg 0 moves forward, the top of hind leg Cl movesbackward,

and raises the lower part thereof to the position corresponding to thatshown by leg 0 in the drawings, and as soon the hoof M rests fiat uponthe ground the cam-disks begin to force rod K forward, and causeelbowlever I to lift rod 0, which it continues to do until, in itsforward and upward movement, the lower part of leg 0 arrives at aposition corresponding to that shown by leg 0 in the drawings, and hoofM to a position similar to that shown by hoof M. The backward movementof the top of leg 0 produces, through its connections, assisted by theoperations of cams F F and their connections, a movement in fore leg Bthe reverse of that described by leg B, will be readily understood, forthe arrrangcment of the parts is such that they cause aprecisely-corresponding but alter]lately-reverse movement of theopposite legs.

The changing of the direction of the progress of the horse by plate Shas already been explained.

Having now fully described the construe tion and operation of myinvention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. Thecombination of shaft D, havingerankbend d, elbow-levers (r G, links H H,rods K K, and the fore and hind legs of the appa ratus, substantially asdescribed.

2. In combination with the vibratory legs of a mechanical horse or roaalengine, the shaft D, cam-disks F F, rods K K pins k 1.", elbowlevers I Iand L L, hoof-rods c c, and kneerods b b, substantially as described.

3. The combination of elbow-lever L, kneerod 1), hoof-link 0, beef N,and the upper and lower joints of leg B, having slots 1 and Q, in whichmoi'e pins 1) and q, substantially and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of cam-disks F F, rod K, pin k, elbow-lever I,hoof-rod c, pivoted hoof M, and leg 0, substantially as specified.

5. The combination of cam-disks F F, rod K, pin k, elbow-lever I,hoof-rod c, hoof M, leg 0, link H, and elbow-lever G, substantially asdescribed.

6. In combination with the shaft D, having crank-bend (I, theelbow-levers G G, connected by the slotted plate g, and the cam-disks FF, all connected with and operating the legs and jointrods thereof in amechanical horse or road-engine, substantially as specified.

7. The pivoted plate S, having slots 8 .s, in combination with the forelegs B B, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN DOYLE.

Witnesses DANIEL F. TYLER, J. M. lorrnn.

